Nonna's Gourmet Sausages, Brookvale

EDIT 11/08/10: Please note that Nonna's Gourmet Sausages have now moved from Chipping Norton to Brookvale. See the end of this post for updated address details. [Video notes: I originally edited this video to a soundtrack of Frank Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin" - appropriate, no? Sadly, YouTube wouldn't allow this track due to copyright reasons, so I had to substitute an alternate song

Wagaya, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

I like wasabi. I really do. But there's a strange flutter in the stomach when you first come face-to-face with the sushi roulette game at Wagaya in Sydney's Chinatown.With its touch screen menus and ordering system, affordable bite-sized dishes and smart but groovy decor, Wagaya has been an instant hit with diners since its opening late last year. Designed in the style of an izakaya or Japanese

Ching Yip Coffee Lounge, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

Hong Kong cheese are the three words that come to mind when describing Ching Yip Coffee Lounge.I mean it figuratively and literally. For where else would you find the happy collision of East meets West in this Hong Kong-style cafe that brings you the culinary delights of spaghetti bolognaise grilled with shredded cheese; spaghetti with ham in white sauce grilled with shredded cheese; and fried

Grab Your Fork on 702AM Sydney

The 702 waiting roomPhew! Live radio is nerve wracking!EDITED 29 OCT 09: If you missed my interview on ABC 702 Weekends this morning, you can listen to the entire segment by clicking play on the embedded video below.




As I entered the studio with fellow guests John Newton and Michelle Cranston, host Simon Marnie leant over to me and said "There's been a lot of interest in your interview by

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've always had a bit of fascination with red velvet cake, a traditional Southern American specialty often referred to as "the chocolate cake of the south".The cake is so named because of its incredibly soft texture, the moist crumb arising from the use of buttermilk and its fluffy aeration a result of the buttermilk's reaction with vinegar. Most red velvet cakes use cocoa although there's not an

SWEETNESS The Patisserie store now open in Epping

SWEET MallowsSWEETNESS The Patisserie opened its new retail store and kitchen in Epping today. Located just up the road from the station, it's a gorgeous site that reflects Gena's commitment to homemade sweets and baking made with heartfelt passion and love.Whilst I haven't had a chance to see the final set-up, I did get a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen a few weeks ago, a totally new

How to host your own afternoon tea

Afternoon tea.We'd been meaning to host a girly afternoon tea at my place for some time now, an excuse to cook up all sorts of delicious morsels, and the chance to showcase the gorgeous tea cups I currently have on 'long-term loan' from a friend. I've been collecting all kinds of old-fashioned tiered stands and accoutrements from op-shops over the years as well. It's amazing what you can find in

Umami, Sydney

Sashimi bento box $14.50 (lunch special 11am-4pm) Served with agedashi tofu, croquettes, rice, salad and miso soupI hadn't realised until someone pointed it out reecntly that I tend to feature a lot of Japanese on this blog. It's no surprise, really. I tend to eat a lot of Japanese!When asked my favourite cuisine, I invariably nominate both Japanese and Vietnamese. However unlike Vietnamese

Taste of Sydney Festival, Centennial Park

"This nipple tastes funny."Oh yes, there was lots of fun and frolic to be had at the inaugural Taste of Sydney festival in Centennial Park. And what's an event without a quotable quote from the always loveable Chocolatesuze. But more on that later.Crown festival currencyAvailable in booklets of 20 crowns ($20) and 30 crowns ($30)I headed to the Taste festival on its opening night, Thursday, along

Arisun, Haymarket Chinatown

Grilled sausage $12

Now I don't mind a hot dog every now and then. There's a bit of guilty childlike pleasure in that fluoro red skin, bouncy fatty "meat and squiggles of tomato sauce and mustard, all encased in a soft squishy bun.

Frankfurters belong in buns don't they? It's like their natural housing. Even the Chinese bakeries wrap their frankfurts in sweet baked bread or steamed mantou bun.

Chocolate and ginger biscotti

As I get older [sigh], I find my sweet tooth isn't quite what it used to be [shock mingled with relief]. Sure there's still room for a big fat slice of banoffee pie, but I'm also starting to appreciate less sweet desserts, like salted chocolate and cranberry cookies and these chocolate and ginger biscotti.I was a little impatient with this batch, not quite waiting long enough for the baked logs

Regal Restaurant, Haymarket Chinatown

1. Steamed scallops with black bean sauceIf there's one thing I tend to avoid at Chinese restaurants it's the banquet option in the English menu. Often the dishes involve too much batter, bicarb and sugar for my liking, and besides I always think it's much more exciting and rewarding to choose and design your own array of dishes. Usually the bill is cheaper too.But when someone else is paying,

Roast Pork, Banoffee Pie and Black Sesame Cupcake Cones: Dinner Party at Mine

Stomach's Eleven were on the move, and this time it was my turn to host our travelling dinner party. I don't naturally like organising, but I do hate being stressed, which is why everyone always laughs when they spot the usual "dinner party to-do schedule" on my fridge. But planning ahead does pay off. It means I can cook certain dishes or elements thereof a few days beforehand, and there's less

Nakashima Japanese Restaurant, The Rocks, Sydney

Tataki $7.90
Thinly sliced slightly cooked raw beef with vinegar sauce

I kept hearing about Nakashima and its hidden location down an alleyway in The Rocks, and still I would wonder why I had never stumbled across it in all my travels. As I follow Billy up Argyle Street, in search of dinner after the March into Merivale launch party, he makes a sharp left just before the overpass and proceeds

March Into Merivale Launch Party, The Establishment

Forget busty wenches. The women of Sydney are much more interested in hot naked chefs.With economic doom and gloom reputedly just around the corner, trust Justin Hemmes to use his trademark business nous and marketing panache to create a month-long budget-friendly Food and Wine Festival that spans all nine Merivale restaurants. Convince the head chefs to get naked for an arty photo shoot. Give it

No ordinary steak dinner

Stuffed zucchini flowersSo Pig Flyin' had been gifted with a whole slab of scotch steak by K. He needed a few eaters to help him out, and boy, I always love to help a friend in need.I don't need to remind you that Pig Flyin' knows how to cook. In fact, as the G-man pointed out, Pig Flyin's amazing feasts have only served to make us dinner party snobs - it's increasingly hard to be impressed after

Eveleigh Farmers' Market

Is the farmers' market the new fooding social scene?It certainly felt that way on Saturday when I headed to the first official Eveleigh Farmers' Market . A weekly undercover growers market in the inner city is a much welcomed addition to the shopping calendar.There were plenty of people milling about at 9.10am (and I can tell you it's a mere seven minute walk from Redfern train station - I timed